--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to control what you can control…" description: "\"You have to control what you can control, not the entire game, and try to play the best soccer possible and play clean and be smart and professional.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/heather-mitts-42917_being-smart_you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control_585201.png" --- # You have to control what you can control, not the entire… ![“You have to control what you can control, not the entire game, and try to play the best soccer possible and play clean and be smart and professional.” quote by Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/heather-mitts-42917_being-smart_you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control_585201.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/heather-mitts-42917_being-smart_you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control_585201.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/heather-mitts-42917_being-smart_you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control_585201.png) > “You have to control what you can control, not the entire game, and try to play the best soccer possible and play clean and be smart and professional.” [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on controlling personal actions and mindset rather than external outcomes, emphasizing professionalism and strategic play. **In simple terms:** Control what you can and stay professional. Key Takeaway Prioritize effort, integrity, and smart decisions. Themes control professionalism strategy resilience Mood determined focused pragmatic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - workplace challenges - team sports - project management - personal development Key Concepts self‑efficacy sports psychology leadership Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain composure when outcomes are unpredictable? - What habits help you stay disciplined? A Different Perspective External factors often dominate despite best personal control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) [Best Soccer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-soccer-3091490/) [Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control What You Can Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-what-you-can-control/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-best/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Soccer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer/) [Soccer Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer-possible-4800986/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [Getting a chance to practice six months against my own teammates, who I consider the best soccer players in the world, there's no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-fair/getting-a-chance-to-practice-six-months-against-my-own-teammates-who/) [Lorrie Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-fair/) > [For me, I grew up watching the best soccer team play, which is Barcelona in 2009, and many of my idols played here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-cancelo/for-me-i-grew-up-watching-the-best-soccer-team-play-which-is/) [Joao Cancelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-cancelo/) > [When I was growing up, all my friends at school wanted to be the world's best soccer player. I wanted to be that, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/when-i-was-growing-up-all-my-friends-at-school-wanted-to-be-the-world/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [You do have to be patient. Control what you can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-ertz/you-do-have-to-be-patient-control-what-you-can-control/) [Zach Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-ertz/) > [You can't please everybody; everybody knows that, but at the same time all you can do is control what you can control and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-harris/you-can-t-please-everybody-everybody-knows-that-but-at-the-same-time/) [Tobias Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-harris/) > [The NBA is a job. Just like any other job complaining about opportunity doesn't solve anything. The only thing you can do is control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-dinwiddie/the-nba-is-a-job-just-like-any-other-job-complaining-about/) [Spencer Dinwiddie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-dinwiddie/) > [Control what you can control, and just do everything you can, and see what happened by the end of the tournament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aryna-sabalenka/control-what-you-can-control-and-just-do-everything-you-can-and-see/) [Aryna Sabalenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aryna-sabalenka/) > [You control what you can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-muschamp/you-control-what-you-can-control/) [Will Muschamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-muschamp/) > [You've got to just find a way to keep going. Find a way to accept the challenge, embrace it, hope the tide turns. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-poole/you-ve-got-to-just-find-a-way-to-keep-going-find-a-way-to-accept-the/) [Jordan Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-poole/) > [There is always pressure in this game and outside of it but as long as you control what you can control the pressure will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-calderwood/there-is-always-pressure-in-this-game-and-outside-of-it-but-as-long/) [Joanne Calderwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-calderwood/) > [You can only control what you can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-reilly/you-can-only-control-what-you-can-control/) [Heather O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-reilly/) > [Control what you can control. I can control my emotions, my attitude, my effort every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-trubisky/control-what-you-can-control-i-can-control-my-emotions-my-attitude-my/) [Mitchell Trubisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-trubisky/) > [Control what you can control. Don't lose sleep worrying about things that you don't have control over because, at the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-newton/control-what-you-can-control-don-t-lose-sleep-worrying-about-things/) [Cam Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-newton/) > [One thing I really believe is control what you can control so for me, each and every day I get an opportunity, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mccourty/one-thing-i-really-believe-is-control-what-you-can-control-so-for-me/) [Jason McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mccourty/) > [You just control what you can control and just hopefully go win games and keep getting better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-wentz/you-just-control-what-you-can-control-and-just-hopefully-go-win-games/) [Carson Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-wentz/) ## More by Heather Mitts > [Always double-knot your sneakers. One of my teammates once lost a shoe during a game!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/always-double-knot-your-sneakers-one-of-my-teammates-once-lost-a-shoe/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [Women's soccer is not heavily publicized, so when you have an opportunity to be in a big magazine that publicity can be good. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/women-s-soccer-is-not-heavily-publicized-so-when-you-have-an/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [Some of the players are known as scorers or assists. I guess what I am known as being is an ironwoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/some-of-the-players-are-known-as-scorers-or-assists-i-guess-what-i-am/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [Running with the bulls was one of my crazier judgments in life and one of those things I decided to do spur of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/running-with-the-bulls-was-one-of-my-crazier-judgments-in-life-and/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [Hair is really where we can be creative. I have my "game hair," which is always different than how I'd wear it at practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/hair-is-really-where-we-can-be-creative-i-have-my-game-hair-which-is/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [Whether I'm flying two hours or across the country, I always make sure to have a packet of almonds with me, an apple, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/whether-i-m-flying-two-hours-or-across-the-country-i-always-make-sure/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [Anytime you have any opportunity to be with the national team it's an honor and a challenge, and it is something I am looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/anytime-you-have-any-opportunity-to-be-with-the-national-team-it-s-an/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [I want to do some things before I have children, because when I have children it's not going to happen. I've done bungee jumping,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/i-want-to-do-some-things-before-i-have-children-because-when-i-have/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) > [I eat a huge breakfast every morning - it's what I look forward to. I'll do steel-cut oatmeal with blueberries and strawberries, an egg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/i-eat-a-huge-breakfast-every-morning-it-s-what-i-look-forward-to-i-ll/) [Heather Mitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) [Explore all 10 Heather Mitts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/) ## More Being smart quotes > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Listen! Say less rather than more. If you want to be smart, play stupid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-rubinstein/listen-say-less-rather-than-more-if-you-want-to-be-smart-play-stupid/) [Helena Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-rubinstein/) > [I hated grunge. No one’s more feminist than me, but you don’t have to look as if you don’t give a - you know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-hated-grunge-no-one-s-more-feminist-than-me-but-you-don-t-have-to/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [For the past few years, I've been more selective than I have any right to be, but I think that's finally starting to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-caplan/for-the-past-few-years-i-ve-been-more-selective-than-i-have-any-right/) [Lizzy Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzy-caplan/) > [If you're stupid enough to whiff, you should be smart enough to forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/if-you-re-stupid-enough-to-whiff-you-should-be-smart-enough-to-forget/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I know it sounds weird, but my definition of 'sexy' has changed as I've gotten older. And being smart and informed makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shahi/i-know-it-sounds-weird-but-my-definition-of-sexy-has-changed-as-i-ve/) [Sarah Shahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shahi/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Each practitioner thinks there's one magic way to get a machine to be smart, and so they're all wasting their time in a sense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/each-practitioner-thinks-there-s-one-magic-way-to-get-a-machine-to-be/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [All my serving utensils are measured. It's not obvious, because they're really beautiful, but I have the option of tracking what I'm eating. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-vincent/all-my-serving-utensils-are-measured-it-s-not-obvious-because-they-re/) [Ali Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-vincent/) > [We should all feel confident in our intelligence. By the way, intelligence to me isn't just being book-smart or having a college degree; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabatha-coffey/we-should-all-feel-confident-in-our-intelligence-by-the-way/) [Tabatha Coffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabatha-coffey/) > [Calling someone fat wont make you any skinnier, calling someone dumb dosnt make you any smarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mean-girls/calling-someone-fat-wont-make-you-any-skinnier-calling-someone-dumb/) [Mean Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mean-girls/) > [The way to win is to work, work, work, work and hope to have a few insights And you're probably not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-way-to-win-is-to-work-work-work-work-and-hope-to-have-a-few/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [What we are saying is we have to be smart about the ideology that is putting this idea into the world that a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asra-nomani/what-we-are-saying-is-we-have-to-be-smart-about-the-ideology-that-is/) [Asra Nomani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asra-nomani/) [Browse all 243 Being smart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to control what you can control, not the entire game, and try to play the best soccer possible and play clean and be smart and professional.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Heather Mitts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control-not-the-entire-game-and-try/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being smart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control-not-the-entire-game-and-try/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/heather-mitts-42917_being-smart_you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control_585201.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/heather-mitts-42917_being-smart_you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control_585201.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/heather-mitts-42917_being-smart_you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control_585201.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have to control what you can control, not the entire game, and try to play the best soccer possible and…” — Heather Mitts", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Heather Mitts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mitts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have to control what you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control-not-the-entire-game-and-try/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mitts/you-have-to-control-what-you-can-control-not-the-entire-game-and-try/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```